Fail Forward

[lofivelcro]

I had DOMs today. Seems like I neglected that side of training for some time. So, only the WotD (Hiker) today and an infinite time on the stepper, because I noticed I can actually play in front of the PC with a gamepad in hand AND move around using this handy little thing. Had to stop now and then because it overheated, but now I can add playing old games to the things I can do on the stepper, in addition to reading.

Speaking of reading, I started the third book of the Demonised novels today. Spin-off of my other guilty-pleasure books, Guilded Codex. Breezing right through again. No idea why.
But found out that calling Hime inside for reading, she doesn't mind Aki being close. Lying on the fur with four dogs around and them behaving me makes me feel like some kind of pack leader

Slept eleven hours.

 

[Sif_Shepard]

That's awesome your dogs are starting to get along! And I'm glad you're enjoying the books

11 hours of sleep sounds blissful.

 

[lofivelcro]

@Sif_Shepard it was a bit long, tbh. I felt quite stiff after waking up and needed some time to bend myself into the shape resembling a naturally Human again

 

[Fitato]

Sorry to hear you woke up stiff! Hope the novel is living up to your expectations!

 

[Anek]

I finished the fourth one last night, I find they get better! Thank you so much for mentioning this series!!

 

[lofivelcro]

@Fitato no worries, I always get stiff when I lie too long in bed. My back always hurts like hell when I get up after such a long time
@Anek I'm halfway through the third one. There are a few things that bother me, some I have trouble understanding on an emotional level, and Tori seems like a foreign person when seen through another one's eyes, but I'm eager to see where the trip will end. As always, glad that you like the books

Despite still having DOMs I tackled the second day of the full body dumbbell routine today, so W1D2. My hamstrings are screaming at me, but I try to ignore them. I sometimes get a bit frustrated that despite all the things I do day in and day out my legs and arms still feel ridiculously weak when doing strength training.

I contemplated sneaking back into the old Hive to look up what goals I made last year for this year, but I'm afraid I completed none of those so I resisted the temptation for now. I'm not sure if I should make goals for 2023 or just wing it. I feel like some things have changed this past year, inside and out, and I'm not really sure where I stand at the moment, in terms of my mind. I know that I'm feeling fine, more than that, even, so it doesn't bother me much, but still, food for thought.

 

[lofivelcro]

Today was a run with Hime, and the WotD (Lazy Bear). I still have DOMs and had hardcore pain in my glutes. Wonder why.

I had a nice and relaxing week between the years, with next to no work and lots of free time. Paradox: When I have free time, I notice that I have not enough hours for all the things I want to do. It's not so bad on the days I work. Weird.

Have a nice weekend, everyone.

 

[TopNotch]

Happy New Year!

 

[Mianevem]

Happy New Year!

 

[Fremen]

Happy New Year

 

[Lady Celerity]

Happy New Year!

 

[Haleth]

Happy New Year!

 

[Anek]

Happy new year!

 

[lofivelcro]

Today was W1D3 of my dumbbell fullbody routine, DOMs get better.

I swung by the old Hive to check my post from a year ago and review my goals. I think I actually reached one and maybe a half. Or one and two halves. I set up regular business hours, took on an apprentice, worked my way back up to 20 push-ups and 5 chin-ups. That's it, I think. Eh, still not bad.

Looking back on 2022, it was a weird year. I had two accidents, one being on the worse side. My mother-in-law left us and instead my cousin moved in with us. I managed to complete 39 books and considering that I only started late in 2021 I think that's a good number. Our little zoo grew by two bunnies, four turtles and two dogs. I ran a lot. I tried out many things and dropped most of them again. I started playing the violin again, after ~25 years. I made new experiences, learnt a lot and changed in the process. There are no huge achievements to celebrate, but I'm satisfied where I'm now. I don't have any fancy graphs or statistics to present or look at, aside from my reading stats on Storygraph, but looking through my notebooks, I'd rate 2022 eight fireworks out of ten.
Well, not really, I don't have an idea how to rate a year. It was a good one and despite all that happened, I feel like I'm in a better place today than I was a year ago.

I won't make any goals for 2023 and tackle everything when it crosses my path. I'll probably try out different things again, forget about some or most, and just try to live the best life I can. Maybe I'll send my brother a card for his birthday, idk.

I still have 45 minutes left of the old year, but regardless, I wish you all a Happy New Year, may it treat you all well, gift you with health, happiness and the determination and energy to reach your goals, or at least a couple of them. While we only can change the present, let's look into the future and only regard the past as something to learn from and not something to have regrets about.

Happy New Year, everyone

 

[lofivelcro]

@TopNotch @Mianevem @Fremen @Lady Celerity @Haleth and @Anek
Thank you, have a great start into 2023, too

I'm busting out the emoticons today...

 

[PhoenixRise]

Best wishes to you in the new year!

 

[NancyTree]

Happy New Year!
I wish 2023 to bring you a lot of good things

 

[lofivelcro]

Thank you, @PhoenixRise, best wishes and a happy new year to you, too!

@NancyTree thank you, and a happy new year!

Started the new year with Power HIIT on Level 2, a run and some stretching.

I'll probably drop Power HIIT again I was a bit curious, but really, I don't like HIIT, and I don't like Darebee dumbbell programs. What was I thinking? I had this weird idea of just gritting my teeth and doing programs again, for discipline, no matter how much it'll hurt. Failed on day one, it seems. Somehow, me and Darebee programs won't become friends any more. For reasons unknown, they don't motivate me. Maybe I should try one at level 4 when I feel ready. I don't know. Maybe I should re-think my approach to working out. But then again, who am I kidding, I've been spouting the same lines for a year now and nothing has changed.

But I have this thick calendar for 2023 and I want to try logging everything I do and eat every day and see if I can find some pattern, or something to work with. It's not much bigger than my usual notebook I always carry with me, so I can just use the calendar instead. Hopefully that makes it easier to stick to it.

I've finished Phantasy Star today. JRPGs from the mid-80s were... surprisingly lame. But I had a good laugh that in the western version, the healing items were Cola and Burgers. Thanks, Sega of America, I guess. Next is Phantasy Star II, maybe that's better.

I also finished the third book of the Demonised novels yesterday and was a bit disappointed. Still started the fourth one directly after.

We spent midnight outside at the lake with the dogs and two cans of beer. Was comfy.

Hope you all made it through the night and came out well on the other side of the turn of the years.

 

[lofivelcro]

Another run, the WotD (Abs of Steel) and stretching.

Always considered myself more of a walker than a runner, but over the past year I somehow started to enjoy it. It's nice to just get out the door and run wherever when I have too much energy. Bit odd. I thought you get calmer the older you get, but I feel like I get even more fidgety and energetic. Maybe it drizzles out when I reach 40.

I took stock of my inventory today. This time, I had an apprentice to help. In good old tradition I gave him all the boxes full of tiny parts, like screws, springs, etc, holding dozens or hundreds of them. When I had my apprenticeship, my master did the same, waiting for the moment when I would figure out that it's easier to just count out ten items, weigh those, and then weigh the whole batch, to calculate the amount. Me not being the sharpest tool in the shed never thought of that, so I diligently counted all those parts, sometimes a couple of times to make sure, until my master took pity and explained the process to me.
I'm actually quite proud that my apprentice asked me for a scale not even hundred screws into the first batch. The year's off to a good start.

 

[Anek]

That's a smart apprentice you got! I would not have thought of the weight trick either, had my husband not shown it to me.

 

[lofivelcro]

@Anek I'm quite pleased that he thinks for himself and hope he will enjoy the work a lot, stays close and some day will take over. That's wishful thinking, but one can always hope. But yes, the weight trick is quite nifty

Back to the dumbbells with W2D1 of the full body routine and a few stretches.

 

[lofivelcro]

A rather short but intense run, the WotD (Action Hero) and some stretching.

Surprised how well a simple calendar works at making me do things I want to do, despite the last days being somewhat hectic.

 

[lofivelcro]

Another day of the dumbbell Fullbody Routine (W2D2) and some stretching.

I ate take-out yesterday because it was given to me and I suspect there were some additives or whatever in the sauce and I felt a bit in shambles today. After eating only homemade for years with only an occasional visit to a nearby tavern that serves only dishes with regionally sourced ingredients I suspect that is the cause. Not sure though. Haven't felt like this in forever.

 

[lofivelcro]

A long-ish run, because it was warm and sunny today. The WotD (Blacksmith) and some stretching.

I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the big task unfumbling the neglect and blissful ignorance at work and doing something I should have done over the span of the past year and that I have to do in less than ten days now. But I'll take a break tomorrow and power through on Sunday again. My brain can only deal with so many numbers before shutting down. Yes, I'm going to enjoy a nice and quiet Saturday. And no one will stop me.

Have a nice weekend everyone, it's the first one this year and you've earnt it, I'm sure of that.

 

[TopNotch]

Happy Birthday!

 

[TheLibrarian]

Happy Birthday.

 

[NancyTree]

 

[HellYeah]

 

[Fremen]

Happy Birthday

 

[Gandhalfit]

 

[Barbara Ekhart]

Happy Birthday!

 

[mavie]

 

[OJJJEM]

Feelin' like Kronk here...

 

[Matan]

Happy Birthday!

 

[Whirly]

 

[Haleth]

Happy Birthday! :cake:

 

[Anek]

Happy birthday!!

 

[Nebulus]

Happy birthday!

 

[lofivelcro]

@Top Notch, @TheLibrarian, @NancyTree, @HellYeah, @Fremen, @Gandhalfit, @Barbara Ekhart, @mavie, @OJJJEM, @Matan, @Whirly, @Haleth, @Anek and @Nebulus thank you all so much for the birthday wishes

Despite the usual birthday shenanigans I did the Fullbody Dumbbell Routine W2D3 and some stretching.
We also had a long walk with the dogs, because it was warm and sunny outside. Hime and Aki start tolerating each other

I also got my very first mobile phone today, mostly so that the next time I get run over by a car and nearly pass out I don't have to look around for a phone and just have one in my pocket. It's not one of those fancy smartphones, though, but an old and used outdoor dumbphone. Perfect, I guess.

We baked a Prinzregententorte two days ago for today and while it was a lot of work, it absolutely was worth it. Some people came over to say hi and I was actually quite pleased to offer them a piece of cake.

I threw the dogs and the cat out at one point to have a go at Tschaikowski's 1812 overture and I invite you to have a listen as well. It's going to get epic, I promise. There will be cannons and church bells in the end

 

[MissSmilla]

Oh, first time reading your thread, and it's your birthday. Happy birthday!!! I'm going to forgo the Tchaikovsky tonight and keep it for another day, as cannons and church bells, at a proper volume, would wake up the kids, which is not my goal right now.
By the way, "Prinzregertentorte" is my kids' favourite cake. I've never even considered making it myself, but you made me consider it. How did you cut the layers without ending up with a jigsaw puzzle of small cake pieces? Was it hard?

 

[Mianevem]

I'm still not too late to wish you a happy birthday, so Happy Birthday!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Belated Happy Birthday!!!

 

[lofivelcro]

Thank you, @Mianevem (not late at all!) and @MissSmilla!
I didn't cut the layers, I baked each one of them separately. I was a bit cautious of just pouring a thin layer of batter into a ring, because I feared that the edges would be much thinner than the centre, so I applied an even square on the baking paper, baked that, repeated for seven layers, and then cut them out with the help of the ring. You have to remove the layer from the paper as soon as possible, so that it won't stick. It's a bit tricky, so I'm very surprised that it actually worked so well.
I hope that makes sense, I had to consult a dictionary for some words.

And thanks @Lady Celerity! Your post just popped in and it's still nine minutes until the birthday is over, so you're still on time

 

[MissSmilla]

I didn't cut the layers, I baked each one of them separately. I was a bit cautious of just pouring a thin layer of batter into a ring, because I feared that the edges would be much thinner than the centre, so I applied an even square on the baking paper, baked that, repeated for seven layers, and then cut them out with the help of the ring. You have to remove the layer from the paper as soon as possible, so that it won't stick. It's a bit tricky, so I'm very surprised that it actually worked so well.
I hope that makes sense, I had to consult a dictionary for some words.

Oookay. Yeah, that seems like just slightly more time and effort than I can afford at this point. But I'll keep it in mind. And my respect for your baking skills just increased by a lot.
Oh, and the description totally made sense!

 

[Sif_Shepard]

Happy birthday! Hope you had a lovely day!

 

[lofivelcro]

Thanks, @Sif_Shepard, it was a pretty nice day
@MissSmilla yes, it's a lot of work. Not terribly complicated, but it takes time. Maybe something for you to try when your kids are a bit older and don't require as much attention? Glad the description made sense!

Went for a run with Hime today, with all the sun outside. Re-started 30 Days of Yoga to do on the off-days, because I really feel the need for it. Push-Ups. Stretching.

Got a call from my mother-in-law today, she seems to still do Darebee programs and has finished Athena's Playbook. Not bad.

 

[MissSmilla]

@MissSmilla yes, it's a lot of work. Not terribly complicated, but it takes time. Maybe something for you to try when your kids are a bit older and don't require as much attention? Glad the description made sense!

Oh, totally. Or when their attention span is a little longer and they can help - I love baking with my kids, but so far we do uncomplicated stuff like Christmas cookies and sometimes raisin buns for breakfast on weekends. But we'll have to up the ante at some point

 

[f1shie]

I will give Cooper many late-birthday smooches for you, you glorious human you.

 

[Froud]

Happy belated birthday mate!

 

[lofivelcro]

Thanks, @Froud and @f1shtacular

@MissSmilla when I was a kid, I liked making fruit tarts with my father. You know, baking an... ah, words... the dictionary says sponge flan... Obstboden and putting fruits on that one. I don't know, I just liked meticulously arranging strawberries on it. Bit low bar maybe, but I still liked it. Or Russian Zupfkuchen. Which isn't Russian, btw, my father always commented that he had never heard about it

Today was 30 Days of Yoga Day 2, the WotD (Bring it on), Push-Ups and Stretching.